ease
by abalonebuttons
Summary: "You smell…like smoke and…pine trees or something." Ava/Odin drabble.


note: so I haven't written or published a fic in _years_ and that means publishing this is a big thing for me. have fun reading, reviewing, following etc. flames will be used to roast hot dogs and marshmallows!

ps: if you don't know what ava's demon is, it's a amazing webcomic that's currently on hiatus and will be coming back real soon; check it out!

pps: this was inspired by sarsaparillia's "saving all my summers for you" cuz asjdnjsndjnf it's good

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"Thank you." Ava says quietly, tugging on Odin's jacket. He goes back to looking at his tattered little book, and she to observing his act of kindness. His jacket is ripped and the color of nightshade but it's warm and keeps Wrathia's heart drawer-thing hidden.

That's when the smell hits her.

Ava is enveloped, almost overwhelmed in the scent of pine trees and sweet smoke the jacket carries. She blushes, her face turning the colors of a sunset and immediately throws her hands up to cover it. As she begins to calm herself down, Ava's breaths come out full of grey ash.

 _Stupid pact.._ she thinks; pulling her knees into her body, she wants to shrink into nothing. Suddenly, she notices a sparkling ring hanging from a silver chain, perched on the log alongside Odin.

Wordlessly, she extends her hand and slips it onto her ring finger. Pulling it towards her, Ava studies the fiery ruby and the intricate carvings of arrows along the band.

"H-Having fun?" Odin asks, watching the light bounce off her burgundy hair. She looks up with a startled _oh_ , cheeks starting to flush with color before recalling herself.

"Sorry…" Ava says, placing in his hand, "Why don't you wear it on your finger like a normal person?" Odin puts the necklace on, the chain shimmering in the sunlight.

"It d-doesn't fit me," he says, turning to look at her, "B-Besides, what do you care? I th-thought you had "business" to take care of?"

She hates the way he looks at her, like a lost puppy. Ava sucks in air, ready to snap, but catches another whiff of his scent. The freshness almost makes her knees wobble. Huffing out, she clumsily jams her Limbo Lenses on her head.

"I'm mentally preparing for it." Ava squints at the gangly stranger sitting in front of her, smelling of something so intoxicating but who _is_ he? She watches him as he sketches something out in his battered little book.

"Actually, I've been wonderin' something since I met you." she says, frowning at Odin. "How is that I never saw you in class? Were you held back a grade or something?" He pauses, studying whatever he's drawn, seeming to be choosing his answer carefully.

"No…I just skipped class a lot. I'm sixteen." Odin doesn't seem to want to look at her. She wonders if he pities her. Either way, he looks too old to be nearly her age.

"You don't look sixteen." she shoots back. Rolling his eyes, Odin looks at her with a questioning look.

"Heh, y-yeah? Well neither do you." Ava snorts, at ease for oh god knows how long.

"That's 'cus I'm not sixteen. I'm fifteen."

"Y-you look twelve," he says, closing his notebook with a _fwip_. Her brows furrow at his poor insult, hurt by three simple words. Ava wants put her shields up and hide from the horrible world.

"I don't have time for this. I'm done with being ridiculed." Ava gets up and begins to dust herself off, not noticing how Odin watches her every movement.

"I've got super important things to take care of…and they don't include arguing with old nerds like you…I'm sure there's a shipyard somewhere on this planet." As she begins to walk away, he suddenly stands up, rustling the grove behind them.

"H-hey! Wait!" he calls, "You know this p-planet has m-miles of dense forests, right? V-very few live here. Even a "d-dangerous alien" like you will die trying to find a port on the other side of them."

Ava halts, anger starting to boil beneath the rapid lava-like glow her skin has taken on. Whirling around, she stares at Odin angrily, fire blazing in her eyes.

"Yeah? Well you know what else I am besides a dangerous alien? I'm Ava. Ava Ire," she spits, channeling rage even Wrathia would be proud of, "And I CAN'T die. Got it pal!?" Ava is breathless, surprised even at the anger she's expressed. Odin stares back, stunned wordless at her outburst.

"Y-yeah…I got it," he says, blinking hard. "Your face says it all."

And suddenly, she isn't so afraid of starting a new life and fulfilling a pact with a vengeful succubus; maybe she can even be comfortable talking to pale mysterious boys who smell like burning forests.

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